


Vanished and Discovered

by SecretWaterist



Category: Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-03
Updated: 2015-01-03
Packaged: 2018-03-05 04:02:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 21,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3104858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SecretWaterist/pseuds/SecretWaterist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The second of my stories about the Swallows, Amazons, Ds and Eels as adults based on how they are described in the original books. This is set in the late 1960s, and some of it will not make complete sense if you have not read my first one Different Territory. Once again this is for adults who read the original books as children, not for child readers (there is nothing to offend but my idea is to feature them all in adult novels.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

VANISHED

AND

DISCOVERED

 not by the author of Swallow and Amazons

 

* * *

 

CONTENTS

 

      I    STRANGE MEETING                                                                                                       

      II   TEA AT THE RITZ                                                                                                 

     III   TO THE SEASIDE                                                                                                           

     IV   FINDING THEIR WAY                                                                                      

       V  SAILING                                                                                                                                          

     VI   CHANCE MEETING                                                                                                 

   VII   AN EXPLANATION?                                                                                                       

   VIII   REVEALATIONS                                                                                                                

     IX   MORE REVEALATIONS                                                                                          

     X    PLANS                                                                                                                                                           

     XI   A TELEGRAM                                                                                                                           

   XII   A TELEPHONE CALL                                                                                                 

   XIII   NEW ARRIVALS                                                                                                                

   XIV   FURTHER REVEALATIONS                                                                              

   XV   A PICNIC                                                                                                                                               

XVI    A STRANGER                                                                                                                            

XVII   FINAL EXPLANATIONS                                                                                          

XVIII  AN ANNOUNCEMENT                                                                                     

XIX    THE FUTURE?                                                                                                                   

* * *

 

 

AUTHOR’S NOTE

 

After 1933 we know nothing of the Swallows, Amazons, Ds and their compatriots. In ‘Different Territory’ I recounted the gathering of some of them in 1947, and what changes took place in their lives. Another twenty years have passed and the childhood friendships are still maintained, even in those changing times.

 

_A resident of Secret Water._

_2014_

* * *

 

TO

 

ONCE AGAIN J FOR STILL MAKING

MY ENTIRE LIFE WORTH LIVING.

* * *

 

 

CHAPTER I

 

STRANGE MEETING

 

 **D** ick was immediately on his guard.

"Richard Callum?" The man who had entered the sparsely furnished waiting room walked towards him with his right hand held out. Nobody, not even his parents, called him that and certainly nobody did during the war. He stood up from the hard straight backed wooden office chair where he sat, one in the middle of a row of three, took the offered hand and shook it as firmly as he could, his years in the USA had taught him the importance of a firm handshake. As they were the only people in the room the man continued.

“Callum, I remember you from forty-seven, good to be of assistance.” Dick did not recognize the man at all and thought it was unlikely that their paths had crossed back in those years. What it did tell Dick was that he had been checked up on by the security services when he made his request to speak to someone, and his background had been thoroughly investigated before being given an appointment to attend this shabby office in central London. "We understand you're trying to trace someone, a Miss Blackett?"

Dick felt the need, though managed to restrain himself, to remove and polish his spectacles.

"Yes that’s right, Nancy, sorry, Ruth Blackett." Before he could continue to explain why he was interested in her the man spoke again. Their conversation only lasted five or ten minutes and then he was bid farewell and ushered out of the office and the building in quick succession.

Dick’s wartime service at Bletchley Park had at least given him connections like this in London that were of occasional help in odd ways, but what he did at Bletchley he was still unable to reveal, even to Dorothea. It had been his sister Dot who had persuaded him to see what he could find out about Nancy, now that he had returned home permanently from the USA and seemed, to her, to have time on his hands. Not being sure how to proceed he thought one of these contacts maybe a start.

Dorothea had always kept in contact with Titty over the years, but she saw less of all the others, even Titty’s brothers and sisters. The two of them would meet for tea at The Ritz Hotel most Wednesday afternoons, and a few months ago over one such tea Titty had seemed agitated. Her sister-in-law Peggy, Nancy’s younger sister who had married her brother John after the war, was worried, nobody had heard from Nancy for almost a year. Though they all knew she did have this habit of not contacting anyone for a month or so and then always surfaced again wondering why everyone was so bothered about not hearing from her, this time it seemed much more serious. None of the group of childhood friends had heard from her.

Titty, of all of them even now they were in their late forties, was the one who kept in contact with everybody, mainly through letters, and would pass on any news she received to everyone else, yet she had heard nothing from Nancy, not even from Daisy. The revelation after the end of the war to them all that Nancy 'batted for the other side', as Roger teasingly put it, and lived with Daisy as if they were a married couple had been something of a surprise to all of them except Titty. Of the couple it was always Daisy that wrote to Titty, Nancy had never been much of a letter writer but she was always the one who wanted to know what the others were doing.

At Dot’s encouragement to help with finding Nancy Dick used one of his wartime contacts to speak to, what he hoped would be, an appropriate person in the Home Office. Though he knew he was fortunate, but perhaps because of the years since the war had had been in business in the USA, he knew that he was unlikely to be told much even if there was much to tell.

The meeting with this unnamed civil servant in a dismal office in Whitehall was of no help at all, there was some predictable sympathetic words but Dick was told that such a short absence without contact of an adult did not constitute a 'missing person', so there was little they could do or tell him. Dick knew very well, that someone with Nancy’s wartime background and possibly any of her activities since was probably on a file somewhere, just as he was sure all his were.

When he left the office he walked back to the nearby tube station and reasoned that this was the response he had expected, but for his sister to ask him to investigate meant there was something to be concerned about. He thought of how all those years ago on the Broads it had been her determination and encouragement that had got himself and Tom and the others to work on proving that Tom and the Death and Glories had not cast off boats or stolen shackles, if Dot thought something was not right then she would not give up.

He knew that many thought of his sister as a ‘head in the clouds’ romantic, but they did not know everything about her. When such opinions were voiced he always remembered their first meeting with Nancy, Peggy and the Swallows during the winter when the Lake froze. He could tell at the time some of them had doubts in letting himself and Dot join them, and years later Titty had told him how what really changed their view was when the two of them began ice skating, something they were both very good at unlike all the others. This sort of reaction happened with a lot until people got to know her, and it was much the same for him. At the start they had merely tolerated her writing, except for Titty of course, but when her books were actually published and began to win a number of respected literary awards, so they started to take her work more seriously.

Dick too was something of an unknown to many people, and occasionally he wished he could say more about his war work; he was sure some people thought he had avoided 'doing his bit,' during those years. But that was the trouble being one of many whose activities they were involved in at the time still could not be spoken of, though his thoughts soon came back to the whereabouts of Nancy.

Strangely, given the difference in their characters, he and Nancy understood each other, often when the others were dismissive of her grand schemes, he could see her planned goal and was willing to help her, even in childhood she knew how to make a mark in the adult world. Nancy would not just disappear; if she was missing she was for a reason of her own making, so he would attempt to track her down even if for some good reason she didn't want to be.

When he returned to Dorothea's flat he let himself in with the spare key as she was still out, so he was able to sit at her desk and make some notes in his pocket book about what he had, or not, discovered and what he already knew. The 'revelation' of Nancy's sexuality and her relationship with Daisy had been no shock or surprise to him, he had encountered such things during the war and people's intimate relations were of little interest to him, but prejudice was another matter. If Nancy and Daisy had moved without letting anyone know there must be a reason. But where to and why? He closed his notebook, sat thinking for a while and then went through to the kitchen. On her return Dorothea found Dick drinking a mug of tea and deep in thought, she was eager to know what he had discovered from his contact he had been vague about, she was not at all surprised but still disappointed by his news.

"But she must be somewhere!" Her annoyance was clear to Dick, and he reassured her that he would do what he could.

Opening his pocket book and going over his pages of notes once more something occurred to him.

"Dot, do you have a telephone number for Captain Flint?" Jim Turner, Nancy and Peggy's uncle, known to them all as Captain Flint seemed to Dick to be a good starting point; Nancy was close to him and always knew she could rely on him for help or support whatever the circumstances.

"Of course, it’s in here somewhere." Dorothea picked up from her writing desk a rather battered red notebook; she rifled through it, stopped at a page and read out a number to Dick. Picking up the handset of the telephone he dialled the number, he did not need her to tell him the number again knowing he would not forget it, ever. As he heard the ringing tone he remembered the hot summer they spent at Beckfoot, the Blackett’s home in the lakes, and knew where in the house the telephone bell would be ringing. After some minutes it was answered, a slightly frail woman’s voice spoke confirming the number, Dick recognised the voice.

"Hello Mrs Blackett, it's Dick Callum speaking, I don't know if you remember me?" He knew she would but he had not actually met her for many years now, and it was clear to Dorothea from Dick's reaction that she did. After some further chat between them there was a pause of a few minutes and Dot realised he was then in conversation with Captain Flint.

"So you have no idea either, well when I know more I well telephone again. Yes, good to talk to you too. Goodbye." Dick replaced the handset on the cradle.

"Well? He doesn't know anything either, does he?" Dorothea was impatient.

"No, he hasn't heard from her in months, but he has given me an idea."

"An idea?" Dorothea sounded incredulous. As kind a man as she knew Captain Flint to be, she could not imagine that he could give Dick an ‘idea’ over their problem.

"Yes, do you remember what Titty told you about that week end after the war, in the cottage in Wales, when Nancy had to tell everyone about Daisy?"

"Of, course!" Dorothea knew of it in great detail, as on Titty’s return to London she was near to bursting to pass on the details of what took place over those few days.

"Well Captain Flint wonders if Mac knows anything, that’s when he suggested he could ask Mac to help them out."

"Mac?"

"Yes, you remember Mac, he owned the _Sea Bear_ , the boat we were on when I saw the Great Northern Divers, well they rented a croft from him for some years.” Dick was suddenly reminded of how he and Titty had returned the Divers’ eggs to their nest, the two of them away from the others and both ending up in tears over what they had achieved. Neither of them spoke of this moment again, not to the others either, but both of them held it as precious memory between them. Dot noticed he was distracted, their conversation seemed to have been forgotten.

“You’re not going to Scotland are you?” She looked alarmed, she thought of her brother as he was many years ago needing her help with journeys, forgetting he had travelled back and forth to the USA without her over many years.

“I will if I need to. What was the last address you had for them?" Dick wondered if just using their old address would give them any clues to their current whereabouts.

"I haven't actually got one, it's always Titty that keeps in contact, she’d have it." Dick was slightly exasperated by his sister.

"Can you ‘phone her? When will you see her next?"

"Wednesday, we’ll meet for tea at the Ritz." Dorothea now looked a bit embarrassed, despite her literary success it didn’t bring her a regular income, she often couldn't afford to spend out on an afternoon tea in such luxurious surroundings, but some how Titty always could and so most weeks treated her. Dick was almost blunt with her.

"Good, I'll join you."


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER II

 

TEA AT THE RITZ

 

 **T** he following Wednesday afternoon Dick and Dot made their way to The Ritz Hotel, for him it was the first time he had been there since the war. Dot had arranged for them to meet Titty in the foyer, she was waiting for them. Dick had not seen Titty for many years, his work in the USA meant he had missed out on the various get-togethers the childhood friends arranged, but he kept in contact with them all when he could; and apart from his sister it was Titty he wrote to most of all. She greeted him affectionately and enthusiastically as if they had only last met a few weeks before.

The three of them were led to their table in the tea salon towards the rear of the hotel by the maitre’d, some of the waiting staff acknowledging Dot and Titty as they walked through, clearly regular and remembered customers.

"Well Dick, what can you tell me?" Titty started to question him as soon as they had been served their afternoon teas and left alone.

"I've spoken to Mac, and the two of them gave up his croft nearly eighteen months ago. He was actually a bit disappointed; they had done very well over the years. Their leaving was all very properly done, their rent was always paid on time..." Titty interrupted him.

"That will be Daisy, Nancy has always been hopeless about money and domestic things." Remembering how Nancy had organised Beckfoot when Mrs Blackett was away years before, Dorothea wanted to defend her, thinking of reminding Titty of that time when she and Dick lived in the Dog's Home to hide from the GA, but she knew it was best to let Dick continue with explaining to Titty what he had discovered.

"They didn't leave a forwarding address but all was amicable with Mac." He paused, and Dorothea could see Titty was about to interrupt. He continued. "But an acquaintance from some years back in the Home Office told me quite unofficially and confidentially, of course, that there is no registered passport for a Ruth or Nancy Blackett of her age, from which I conclude they are still in Britain." At this he removed his spectacles and wiped them with his handkerchief, a gesture that Dorothea knew well, that meant he felt quite pleased with himself. Titty was less appreciative.

"Well that narrows it down then!" Dick could tell her tone was sarcastic.

"That's unfair Titty, we haven't much at all to go on, and Dick has only been back just over a week." Dorothea was quick to defend her brother.

"Sorry Dick, I know and I do appreciate what you’re doing, it's just strange, it’s so unlike her." Titty's apology was not really needed by Dick, he knew from old what she could be like when something riled her, as Nancy's disappearance clearly did.

"What about the others? Have they any ideas?" Dick would have been surprised if they did, if Peggy didn't know it was very unlikely the others would. His mind went off at a tangent and he found himself thinking out loud.

"How is Roger these days?" Roger was still a concern to them all, returning from the war in forty-six, in the Far East his years in a prison camp had mentally disturbed him, and despite the care of all his family over the years, Titty in particular, he was still unable to live an independent life. They all did what they could, but they knew deep down he would never be the same as the Roger they knew in childhood.

"Quite well, I've not told him about Nancy, she used to visit him every three or four months, which was kind, but I don't think he'd understand. I'll try to tell him when there is something to tell." For a moment Titty was quiet and almost wistful.

There was a silence between them as they had tea, though Dick was deep in thought rather than concentrating on his sandwiches and cake. He pondered what he knew of Nancy and what she was most likely to do or even go. She had always been strong willed and her relationship with Daisy was the first time any of them had seen such a side to her or a willingness to give way to the demands of another. As he thought Dorothea was chatting to Titty as they usually did on these occasions, he was not actually listening but heard some mention of John and Susan and whether they were soon to leave their careers in the navy, perhaps they could help. But something else came to mind and, as he often did, he spoke of it at once.

"Where did Daisy grow up, we never met her did we Dot?" The two women looked at him for a moment then Dorothea spoke.

"I did, you were in America of course, wasn't in Essex somewhere?" She looked at Titty hoping for more information.

"Yes on the east coast, the Backwaters, we met her parents when we mapped Secret Water. She told me more when met after the war, she’s estranged from her family, well, she was back then and from what Nancy says I think she still is." Dick continued not at all deterred by this remark.

"Do you have an address?" Titty answered first.

"Not for them, but some years ago she gave me the address of the farm we got milk from back then, because she occasionally had contact with Don."

"Don?" Dick was now slightly confused, he and Dot had not been part of the expedition to map the Backwaters so the names of those they met there meant very little to him. Titty answered him.

"There was four of them, they called themselves the Eels, have I never shown you the totem or the finished map? Don was the eldest, friends with Daisy more than her brothers. He asked her out once, that's when she told him, you know..." They all knew, even after so many years it was not much spoken of openly, it was just how they were.

"Can you give me the address?" Dick returned to the subject.

"Yes, of course, what do you have in mind?" Titty asked, but Dorothea realised the signs of her brother having a plan.

"What is it Dick? What are we going to do?"


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER III

 

TO THE SEASIDE

 

 **A** week later Dick and Titty met at Liverpool Street Station under it’s cavernous glass roof, they were waiting to catch the next train to the Essex coast. Dorothea was unable go with them, her agent had called her the day before and needed to talk with her urgently regarding her forthcoming novel, Dick explained this to Titty on his arrival. Titty was disappointed to begin with, but with the search for Nancy uppermost in her mind she refused to let it deter her. She also thought that this was not like Dot, she momentarily wondered if she had wanted her and Dick to spend time together.

They bought their tickets, Titty reluctantly let Dick pay for her, and as they waited she explained to Dick how the trains to that part of Essex left regularly on the hour and all went to the most popular of the three seaside resorts on the coast. But at a village some miles inland the train stopped at a small station, the coaches were split with three or four attached to another engine and went off to the sedate resort and then lastly to the 'Town,' as the Swallows labelled it in their mapping of Secret Water, and the rest continued on. There was another village station they could have got off at before the Town but Titty had remembered this would have meant a longer walk for them to get to the farm.

Dick had bought some days earlier a copy of the 2½" to the mile Ordnance Survey map of the area, and of course being Dick he had nearly forgotten to bring it with him. As ever, despite their time apart, Dorothea had noticed his forgetfulness and reminded him just before he left the flat that morning.

The journey was, as most train journeys tend to be, uneventful, but the hour or so gave the two of them a chance to talk. They were on their own together for the first time in many years. Titty was not surprised that Dick, to begin with, seemed to find conversation difficult, in that aspect he had not changed much despite living in America, which she imagined, may have made him a more sociable person. But she was patient; she had always admired his quiet nature, his knowledge of many things and his determination to see things through, unlike the others who though they were more practical could sometimes get distracted. For her, meeting the Ds in childhood had been one of the defining moments of her life, and in meeting Dorothea she had found a friend like no other, another sister who was nothing like Susan or Bridget. Her companionship was one of the things that had helped get her through the war years.

After the usual every day chat between them, and the enquires about their respective families of which Titty had more to say, as Dick had met most of them quite often but she had only met Dr and Mrs Callum once or twice, a silence fell on the compartment. Titty took the chance to ask him something all of them had pondered and discussed over the years, even Dot.

"Dick," she paused, "what did you actually do in the war?" Dick looked almost embarrassed and she wondered if he would once again avoid the question as he usually did.

"You know I can't tell you." He thought to himself that he wished he could, especially as he had always found Titty easy to talk to compared with the others.

"Nothing at all?" Titty hoped this would persuade him.

"Well," he paused, "all I can say, and that’s probably too much, is that what I did back then made it very easy for me get jobs in the new computer companies setting up after the war, particularly in the USA."

"Oh." She was disappointed that this was all he would say, but realised that he would not budge, she admired his diligence and loyalty.

She and Dot over the years often talked about Dick more than any of the others, particularly if he had girlfriends, and if did what they were like. Dot actually had little idea, she’d never met any and when he wrote to her none were ever mentioned, he seemed to have little social life at all, she too hoped he would have more of one when working in America. As Titty chatted to him during the rest of the journey she realised this was the longest the two of them had spent together for years, and that in some ways as adults she was only just getting to know him and found herself enjoying this reaquaintance.

Once the train had stopped and the carriages had been split at the small station, the part of it they had remained on soon arrived at the Town, and they alighted. Leaving the station they then took the road that led down past the church. This then crossed the road that led in to the Town in one direction and back to the sedate resort in the other, but they carried on up the main road and the slight hill towards the lanes leading to the Backwaters, all of which took them away from the garish delights of the seaside resort.

Dick had telephoned the farm the Swallows had fetched their milk from years ago a few days before, and after a lengthy explanation as to why he was interested the current farmer had suggested they meet him at the town end of Island Lane, or the Wade as they had named it, that led to the farm at low tide. As Titty knew all too well from back in childhood, missing the tide would mean being stranded either on the island or waiting at the main road as the sea covered the connecting track, until the next low tide.

Despite having to walk for some distance they were still quite early to meet the farmer, and so the two of them climbed on to the top of the defence pillbox that had been built at the beginning of the track during the war. Its height gave them a view across the Wade to the island and they would see the farmer when he approached them.

"This would have been useful when we got stranded, we'd have seen the tide was coming in much quicker than we thought." Titty was thinking out loud. Dick had heard the story of how she, Roger and Bridget were rescued from each one of them over the years. As they sat in the sunshine waiting they chatted about what they were going to say to the farmer, but it was not long before they saw a Land Rover begin to make its way from the island and drive towards them across the newly exposed track that had appeared once the tide went out.

As the farmer parked they climbed down from the pillbox to introduce themselves to him. The farmer got out of the Land Rover and walked towards them.

"Dick Callum?" He spoke reaching forward to shake Dick's hand.

"Yes, good of you to meet us."

"That’s alright, I admit I was curious, my Uncle is Jim Brading, I'd heard about some of you. Didn’t you sail to Holland from Harwich one night as children?" Titty interrupted before Dick could answer.

"Dick didn't, but I did, I'm Titty Walker, that was along with my brothers and older sister." The farmer looked bemused.

"Jim often talks about that, even all these years later. You all camped around here near the farm after I believe."

"We did, all except Dick and his sister, some of us got caught on the track by the tide!" She looked towards the Wade and the farmer grinned.

"Some still do! Now, what would you like to know?" Dick started off.

"Have you seen a woman around here, well two women, only recently arrived, maybe a year ago or less?" Titty interrupted him.

"They were here back then, one a friend of ours, Nancy, the other, Daisy, she lived around here back then," she paused, "you may have heard Jim talk about them, I think he met Nancy." The farmer thought for a moment.

"I remember him mentioning someone, but as for now, we don’t get many people come to live here, we get a lot of visitors this time of year so we don’t take much notice of new people." Dick and Titty both felt disappointed at this.

Dick tried another approach.

"Is there anyone in the village we could talk to who might have?"

"There’s the pub of course, Pam might have seen them." Titty was deflated by this too.

“Unlikely, Nancy doesn’t drink, saw too much drunkenness during the war.” Dick had a thought.

“Does the pub take guests?” The farmer laughed, mostly to himself.

“No, Pam’s an old-fashioned landlady, hers is a pub for drinking in not eating and sleeping! Your best chance is the Albion in the town.” Titty had been thinking about staying overnight too. Dick had another question.

“Is there anywhere we could we hire a boat, just a sailing dinghy, something like that, just for a day or two?”

“Try the boatyard, tell them I sent you and that you know Jim Brading, they’ll set you right.” He thought for a moment. “Look I’ll give you a lift, I’m going that way.” The two of them willing accepted and once all of them were in the Land Rover the farmer drove back along the roads they had walked back to the centre of the Town.

 


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER IV

 

FINDING THEIR WAY

 

 **M** uch to Titty’s surprise, the boatyard in the town the farmer dropped them off at was the same one she had been to years before. It seemed to have changed very little from when John had to get the rudder of the borrowed dinghy repaired before the arrival of their parents to collect them. The man they spoke to, of their age, sorted out a dinghy for them, and at the mention of Jim Brading he called to a much older man they could see working in one of the yard’s sheds. When he joined them the younger man explained who they were. There was much disbelief that Titty had been one of those children that sailed alone in the dark to Holland, it seemed that Jim told anyone who would listen to him about their adventure.

When they at last walked away from the boatyard they went back along the narrow streets in to the town in search of the Albion. They found it opposite the seafront on the corner where the high street met the esplanade. They entered the main entrance and at the small reception desk they spoke to the woman on duty, because of the time of year they had just one double room vacant. The woman seemed to have assumed Dick and Titty were married, or at least engaged and made no mention to them of any single rooms. They paid a deposit in cash, for two nights, which Dick imagined, would be long enough.

As Dick dealt with the woman and paying the deposit for the room Titty said nothing, though she thought a lot. She noticed that Dick seemed very confident about the arrangements, at no point had he actually asked her if she minded or even wanted to share a room with him, but then she also realised that she had just assumed that was what was going to happen. For Titty if they were sharing a room then they were also sharing a bed. When he had finished the arrangements they left the hotel to explore the town.

Once outside the hotel they saw a telephone box and Dick called Dot to explain they would be staying a day or two to see what they could discover, from what Titty heard of the conversation Dot too seemed unsurprised about their hotel arrangements.

The Town was busy with visitors, both those on holiday and day-trippers it being a fine day, and so they walked around the various streets getting a better idea of the layout and where things were. Titty was surprised as to how some things seemed to have not changed at all since her childhood. As they turned a corner in the narrow cobbled road that connected two main streets Titty spotted something and stopped, she tugged at Dick’s sleeve as he seemed totally occupied with something he had seen in the opposite direction.

“What?”

“Did you see that?”

“What?”

“A red cap! A red knitted cap!”

“No, surely she doesn’t still wear one?” They at once both knew what this could mean.

“She does, Peggy told me.” As they stood looking down the road there was no sign of anyone wearing a red knitted cap. Dick, being Dick, was sceptical.

“Are you sure?” Titty then doubted herself.

“No, it’s just that…” Her sentence trailed off, she had thought so much about Nancy the last few weeks she just hoped they at long last were getting somewhere.

It was early evening when both of them realised they had not eaten since a sandwich, a cup of tea and a cake at the buffet bar on Liverpool Street station that morning, Dick suggested given where they were they should have some fish and chips. Titty readily agreed, this pleased him as his motive had much to do with missing such food in America; over there they had nothing like it. Having bought their dinner they returned to the seafront and they sat like day-trippers on a bench on the promenade, the sun was getting lower in the sky and the tide was going out, there they were eating their fish and chips from the paper it had been wrapped in. As they both munched away Dick thought to himself he could not remember the last time he had eaten fish and chips like this, then he began to wonder if he ever had. His parents only every visited sensible or obscure places with archaeological interests, in their childhood it had been the chance for him and Dot to go to the Lakes and the Broads that had given them experiences of eating and sleeping outdoors and fending for themselves.

Titty too was lost in her own thoughts as she ate, she was thinking about Dick. Not the Dick she had known as a child but the man sat next to her now. Her life, during the war and since, had been a succession of casual relationships with mostly unsuitable men, some only lasting a day or two, she had never ‘fallen in love’ and no man had ever seriously proposed to her; not that the she had ever met any man she would have married anyway. Yet, she had given no thought earlier to sharing a bedroom and a bed with Dick that night, nothing had been said and even if it had she would have not protested or declined, it seemed natural and logical. Though over the years she had been in this situation more times than she cared to remember, this time it seemed different. Dick was familiar. True, he was not the most strikingly handsome man she had ever met but then she knew she was not a ‘pretty’ or even ‘glamorous’ woman, but it did always seemed men wanted her company, something over the years Dot had teased her about.

Both of them finished their fish and chips at the same time and scrunched up their wrappers in to a ball, Dick took them both to a nearby wastepaper bin and dropped them in it and walked back to her.

“Shall we go to the bar?” Dick held out his hand to Titty to help her stand up from the bench, it was out of habit and courteousness that he did so, but when he took her hand in his it felt different. She stood close to him for a moment, closer than he expected, then she moved slightly closer and kissed him. He didn’t resist, but then started to pull away from her, but she held on to his hand.

“Dick, don’t, please. It’s fine.” She could see him blush, but despite that he held on to her.

 


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER V

 

SAILING

 

 **T** he next morning Titty and Dick were able to have a leisurely breakfast in the hotel’s dining room, as they knew there was no point in picking up the dinghy from the boatyard until it was nearer to high tide. Breakfast over they walked through the town back to the boatyard. Once again the town was full of visitors and as they approached the boatyard they were glad to get away from the bustling centre. Dick had not sailed his and Dot’s boat _Scarab_ for years. In the USA he had been invited to sailing weekends but these were just business events where the actual sailing was done by a paid crew, guests were there only to eat and drink. Titty still sailed, usually borrowing _Amazon_ , when she visited Beckfoot to see Peggy and John.

The man at the boatyard had realised from their conversation the previous day that Titty did not need any advice on handling the dinghy. Despite this she still had a few questions for him.

“We’d like to sail to Kirby Quay, would we make it before the tide turns?” He thought for a moment.

“I would follow the Twizzle to the causeway at Island Lane, there’s a landing stage there, so you could moor there if you need to. Have you got a chart?” Titty looked slightly guilty.

“No, I was hoping I could remember enough.” He looked a bit alarmed.

“Hold on and I’ll get you a basic chart, it’s not really for navigation but someone like you should be able to manage.” He left them for a moment and went inside the wooden shed that served as an office, after a few minutes he came back with a leaflet meant for visitors on foot. Titty was grateful.

“Thank you, what time do you need the dinghy back tomorrow?”

“About this time, high tide.”

With this she and Dick took charge of the boat, Titty climbed in and raised the sail and Dick stood on the quayside and untied the painter, when she was ready he got in the boat and pushed it away from the boatyard moorings.

It was a good day for sailing, the sun was shining and there was a fair wind and once they were on the more open water of the Twizzle the dinghy was moving along at a good pace. Dick was pleased that Titty had taken control, despite he and Dot owning _Scarab_ they never got enough opportunities to sail her so his sailing never matched the standards of the others. Titty’s skill and experience showed and he was reminded of the teenage girl he had seen sailing years ago, it was hard for Dick to associate her with the women he had known in the war and since.

As the man at the boatyard had warned them they could see that the tide was falling by the time they were approaching the Wade. Titty steered towards the landing stage.

“I think we better moor up as he suggested.” Dick didn’t argue, and readied to jump out of the boat once Titty had brought it alongside the landing stage. He did so and made it fast and Titty began to lower the sail and store it for when they returned.

On the journey Dick had been thinking and once the dinghy was secured he shared his thoughts with Titty.

“We haven’t got very far in our search for Nancy, shall walk down to Kirby Quay?” He had seen it on the map he bought a few days ago and so knew it was nearby. Titty too had been thinking and thought to herself about the evening before and Dick. For the first time in a month or so Nancy became secondary.

“Yes, we could have a look at Witch’s Cottage!”

“What?” Dick not being part of the Secret Water expedition did not know what she was talking about.

“There was a thatched cottage at Kirby Quay, an old woman lived there and we had to go there to collect a sack of things for Don before we met Daisy.”

“Do you know the way?” Dick had foolishly left his map at the Albion.

“Yes, we go down the lane back to the road and go right and it’s the second on the right once you get in to the village.”

She didn’t wait and started to walk along the lane to the road, Dick soon caught up with her, without a word between them he took her hand in his. Nothing was said, and they continued to walk to the road.

Dick had again been thinking.

“Do you think it was Nancy you saw in the town yesterday?”

“I don’t really know, but have you ever seen anyone else wearing such knitted caps?”

“I suppose not, they are unusual. Where did they get them?”

“They had them when we met, neither she or Peggy have ever said. It was just what they always wore!”

Titty’s memory of the layout of the village was very good after all the years, and as she remembered the second turning was Quay Lane, a road of old cottages, then fields and trees. They walked along and once past the cottages eventually came to a farm gate, except there was not an actual farm. The gate just stopped anyone reaching the Quay, a relic from the days when wagons would go down the lane to collect the goods unloaded from the barges that plied their trade.

They let themselves through the gate and the once past the trees the landscape opened out. On the right of them there was a small thatched cottage with a similar outbuilding, both with black walls and white window frames, way ahead of them was a large building, Quay House, that Titty knew to be by the actual quay. They stopped for a moment and just took in the view. They were still holding hands.

“Dick.” Titty wanted to say so much, but wondered whether she had misunderstood his intentions and about what passed between them the evening and night before.

“Yes, what’s on your mind?” Dick was considered by most of the others as being perhaps too single minded; unlike his sister he rarely revealed his emotions and deepest feelings. He was never like that, and his time in America had done little to change this. But now? This short time with Titty had brought out thoughts and feelings within him that nobody else had ever done.

“Last night.” Titty, she who was never lost for words, suddenly found herself not knowing what to say, she knew how she felt but couldn’t find a way to express her feelings.

“Yes?”

“You know what I was like in the war don’t you? I’m sure Dot’s told you.” Most of them knew of her promiscuousness and took it to be Titty’s method of mental survival of those terrible days.

“Yes, she did years ago. What about it?”

“I wouldn’t want you to think last night was like that, I’ve always been fond of you, it’s just…”

“I know, I know, people think I’m a bit solitary, Dot is always trying to find me someone, but then she’s not a lot better!” He laughed at himself, then lapsed in to silence.

“Yes,” she too went silent, “but last night, I’ve never known how to tell you or show you before.”

“No, I couldn’t either.” Dick surprised himself. Titty was pleased and surprised but did not know how to tell him. She said nothing. “With my war work, I couldn’t get to see you, or the others, that much so it became difficult. Then being in America our paths didn’t cross much, Dot always told me your news of course, that’s why I wrote to you. I knew there was never anyone special in your life.” Titty smiled at him.

“No, not until now.”

They stood hand in hand looking across to Quay House and the Backwaters beyond; apart from the noise of the leaves moving in the wind on the trees there was silence.

 


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER VI

 

CHANCE MEETING

 

“ **H** ey you! You, yes you two! This is private property, what do you want?” A strident female voice brought Dick and Titty back to reality, they looked to their right to where the voice seemed to come from.

Standing in the garden of Witch’s Cottage was a woman dressed in shabby trousers, gum boots and what, even at the distance they were away, was clearly a mans shirt. She also wore a red knitted cap. Titty almost instinctively let go of Dick’s hand and was about to speak, but the woman interrupted her.

“Is that you Titty?”

She knew at once that her first thought had been right, it was Nancy and without saying more or waiting for Dick she ran towards the narrow wooden footbridge that spanned the dyke at the front of the cottage.

“Nancy, Nancy!” She shouted. Dick followed, he too had realised who the woman was but could not believe that she should just appear despite their attempts to find her. By the time he reached the bridge Titty had crossed and rushed up to Nancy, thrown her arms around her neck and hugged and kissed her with as much affection as she could muster.

“Nancy, where have you been, we’ve all been so worried about you. What happened?”

“Nothing Titty, nothing at all. Who’s been worrying?” Nancy disentangled herself from Titty’s demonstrativeness, she looked at Dick and he could tell that she didn’t recognise him whereas he would have known Nancy anywhere despite the years that had passed since they last met.

“Hello Nancy, you’ve given us all the run-around!” He could see as he walked towards her the moment of recognition of him on her part.

“Dick! Barbequed Billy goats, Dick!” She rushed up to him and hugged him, behaviour so unlike the Nancy he used to know and almost equal to that of Titty and Dot. “When did you come back from America? Are you here long?”

“About a month ago, and I’m here as long as I want to be.” Nancy suddenly remembered she was, as all those years ago in Beckfoot the, hostess.

“Come inside, Daisy’s in the kitchen, you heard about Daisy didn’t you Dick?”

“I certainly did, Dot wrote to me all about when Daisy tracked you down to Wales!” Titty could almost see Nancy blushing at this point, but with her familiar bravura she continued.

“Come and meet her, come on!”

Nancy led the way to the rear of the cottage, the back door was open and they could see someone inside looking out of the kitchen window. Titty waved to Daisy who recognised her at once, they had not met that often since those few days in Wales but it was Daisy who continued to write to Titty with the news of them both. As they made their way inside Daisy glanced at Dick, she had not heard the conversation outside, but it was the spectacles and the similarity to Dot that made her conclude who this strange man was, a man who Nancy was not only very pleased to see but clearly not unsettled by.

Daisy and Titty greeted each other affectionately and she introduced Dick. Daisy spoke directly to him.

“The famous Dick at last, the one who reached the Pole, discovered copper and got up to mysterious things during the war?” There was an element of teasing in her voice, and Dick was embarrassed, realising all the things Nancy must have told her.

“Yes, it’s good to know Nancy speaks well of me.”

“She certainly does, you’re one of a special group, do you know? One of very few men Nancy has faith and trust in.” Dick was uncertain what to say, in his nervousness he removed his spectacles and began to wipe them with a handkerchief hastily pulled from his pocket. Nancy laughed.

“You still do that?” Titty at once defended him.

“Leave him be Nancy.” She was pleased that Daisy supported him.

“Ignore her Dick, she really does think that of you, it’s just hard to get her to admit it!”

Daisy offered them tea, and as she set about making it Nancy showed them around the cottage, though there was little to see as it was once must have been a simple cottage for whoever looked after the sluice gate on the quay. The small rooms all had whitewashed walls, and the furniture was a mishmash of country styles and obviously what they had been given or could afford. The kitchen had racks and shelves with all kinds of cooking utensils and a range for cooking on, Titty wondered if this was all down to Daisy as Nancy had always avoided such things in the past.

After Nancy had show them around they returned to the kitchen where Daisy was warming the teapot from the boiled kettle, Nancy encouraged them to sit at the large table, which they did. It was not long before mugs of tea were before them, along with a slice of fruitcake, in some ways nothing changed whenever any of the friends got together.

Before Dick or Titty had a chance to talk to them both they were interrupted by a man’s voice out in the back garden.

“Nancy! You there?” She got up from her chair and went over to the open kitchen door.

“It’s George.” She turned and spoke to Daisy. At the door she spoke to the man who the others were unable to see from where they sat. “Hello George. What can we do for you?”

“Just thought I’d let you know there’s a man and woman looking for you, I gave them a lift from Island Lane to the Town. They say they know you.” Dick at once knew the voice, but said nothing.

“Yes George, they found us, come in and have some tea.” Nancy turned around and came back in to the kitchen and the man that followed her was the farmer Dick and Titty had spoken to the day before. Daisy gestured to the empty chair at the table and poured him a mug of tea. Dick’s experiences of the war kicked in and he reacted accordingly.

“Yes, we’ve met.” His tone was guarded. “So you did know about them?” Nancy intervened.

“Yes Dick he knew and we asked him to not let on to anyone who asked that he knew us, George is Jim Brading’s nephew so we knew he would understand.” Titty spoke, she too was apprehensive.

“Yes, he told us yesterday.” Nancy continued.

“Look, I’m sorry about all this, and you too George, but you’ll understand when we get the chance to tell you everything.” George looked unbothered by all this, quickly drained his mug of tea and stood up.

“I must be going.” Looking at Titty and Dick he continued. “Sorry I couldn’t say more yesterday, but Jim did ask me to keep an eye on these two, not that they really need it! Let me know if you need help with anything while you’re here. Goodbye.” With this he went out through the back door and they saw him pass the kitchen window.

 


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER VII

 

AN EXPLANATION?

 

 **W** ith George gone Titty did not wait any longer.

“Nancy, where have you been, why didn’t you or Daisy contact any of us? Peggy is worried, very worried, we all are! We got in touch with Mac and he said you had left months ago but he didn’t know where to, no forwarding address or anything.” Nancy looked slightly shamefaced.

“We’re sorry if we’ve worried you.” Dick was bemused to hear Nancy talk as part of a couple, but then he thought about himself and Titty, and what was to be said about that. “When we left Scotland we kept it discrete on purpose.” Titty could not contain herself.

“Why, we’ve been worried!” Nancy continued.

“People were getting difficult. When we first went there being two women without men was bad enough, but they soon realised we were serious and willing to work hard. It took a few years to get accepted, then some people cottoned on that we were more than just two women sharing a croft without men and things got a bit difficult, nasty too sometimes.” Titty must have looked shocked so Nancy elaborated. “The third spring they wrecked our garden just after planting, and then one summer they damned the beck from the loch to our land, stupid little things like that, and there was always one or two people in the nearby village who would ignore us.” Titty could see from Daisy’s face that she was not happy with this talk, and so she attempted to move the conversation on to more cheerful matters.

“So how did you get this cottage? What happened to the Witch?” Daisy smiled and Nancy took her hand in hers.

Nancy continued the story.

“Well, we’d been at the croft about fifteen years, and things were going quite well but then hippies and suchlike started to turn up, they were a nuisance, they never seemed to realise that just because we ‘lived off the land’ didn’t mean we didn’t pay rent and so on. Every year there was more and more of them, the peace and quiet we wanted disappeared so we decided to look for something else.” Titty was now impatient.

“But how did you end up here?” Nancy continued while Daisy made more tea and served them all another slice of cake.

“Unbeknown even to Daisy the Witch as we called her was a distant relative of Daisy’s. She died a few years ago and left Daisy the cottage, well she left it to her eldest female relative most closely related to her, and that turned out to be Daisy. It came along just at the right time. We could escape from Scotland and start again, but we decided that having got a property on private land we would have to be more discrete to hang on to our privacy, we’d had enough of native trouble.”

“But Nancy, we’re not natives, you could have told one of us at least!” Titty was almost angry with her.

“I know, I know, we’re sorry, but we wanted to get established here, get accepted as two women before shocking them all with the rest. Daisy’s still got family up near Pin Mill and they have never accepted what she is or will meet me, so we have learnt to be quiet and just get on with life.” Daisy nodded and took over.

“My brothers don’t even know we’re here, not even that I inherited the cottage, none of us went to the funeral, nobody realised we were related. Don knew her but hadn’t seen her for years, I wrote to him when I was told and he didn’t know anything, who she was or anything. There was a trust fund as well, and the income from that should keep us ticking over each year.”

Titty was still annoyed that Nancy had not contacted any of them.

“I do understand, I remember what you told me after the war, but it’s us, why didn’t you write or anything!” Dick was unsure what to say, he could understand why they kept quiet; his own experience during the war made him all too aware of when you say things and when you don’t. But it did seem strange given how close they all had been over the years. Nancy sat back in her chair.

“I’m sorry, it must be hard to understand. Haven’t you ever had something you can’t say anything to anyone about?” Titty and Dick glanced at each other, both knew what each was thinking. “People just don’t understand.” There was a tone of despair in her voice that didn’t go unnoticed by any of them, Titty felt guilty.

Daisy once again thought it best to change the subject.

“So did you come down here today? And why here?” Dick answered realising that she wanted to move away from why the two of them had chosen not to say where they were and why.

“We knew Daisy that you were from around here somewhere so it seemed a good place to start, so we came down by train yesterday.” Nancy interrupted.

“Where did you stay last night?”

“The Albion, we’re booked in there for tonight too.” Neither he nor Titty elaborated that they had shared a room. Daisy thought for a moment.

“I don’t know about these days but there was a time when it was one of the best in the Town. Do you have plans for tonight?”

“Not really, we hired a dinghy which we have to get back tomorrow, we moored at the Wade as we did hope to sail here, or at least Titty did but the tide beat us.” Daisy seemed impressed.

“You did quite well given the tides. Look, why don’t you eat with us tonight and Nancy can take you to the Albion in the Land Rover.” She didn’t wait for an answer, as always in the way of their friendships such suggestions were taken as accepted. Titty had been thinking.

“Do you have a boat? Something like _Amazon_?” Nancy looked wistful.

“Just a rowing boat so it doesn’t compare, _Amazon_ is still at Beckfoot, I think John and Peggy use her sometimes.” Despite her best efforts Titty couldn’t leave the subject of why they had shut themselves off from everyone alone. Before she could begin questioning Nancy again, she somehow assumed it was Nancy who had engineered the situation as it always seemed to be, she was thwarted.

Daisy interrupted them all as she got up from the table.

“Well I need to go in to the Town for some more food if we’re all going to eat tonight, I still can’t rely on Nancy for that, Dick do you want to come with me?” Dick actually didn’t, but he realised that there were things that Titty and Nancy needed to clear between them, and his and Daisy’s presence would not help matters.

“Of course, good idea.” Daisy gave Nancy a kiss goodbye, which made Dick realise how Nancy had changed, and how much he wanted to do the same to Titty, but knew it would be so out of character, or at least the character they knew of him, it would be better not to.

 


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER VIII

 

REVEALATIONS

 

 **W** hen they were alone in the cottage kitchen Titty and Nancy faced each other across the table. Titty, had she’d been pushed to reveal her true feelings at that moment, was angry, and though she and Nancy had clashed on a number of occasions through the years she was far too fond of her to give way to such thoughts as they all often did with each other. She was concerned, not having contact with Nancy, and nobody else having so either, she had worried and now to find her seemingly in no danger or trouble at all was difficult to deal with. Nancy realised this, she knew she had been what she would call a ‘galoot’ and no doubt when she next spoke with Peggy that is what she would call her. But it was difficult, and even more difficult to explain.

She broke the silence.

“Titty, I am sorry, I never wanted to upset anyone or cause trouble, but sometimes you have to do things for the best of reasons.”

“But what reasons?”

“I can’t say at the moment, but you have to trust me they were, and I needed to protect Daisy. Do you understand how much she means to me?” This, Titty thought, was a rather silly question and Nancy knew it the moment she said it. Only it was Nancy talking Titty thought before she spoke.

“Of course I do, I told Peggy all those years ago in Wales I knew there was something about you the others couldn’t see and I knew when you first met Daisy the two of you were connected in some way, it just took everyone else so long to catch up!”

This changed the atmosphere between them, Nancy had long ago realised they all supported her and Daisy, even Roger despite his jokes, but Titty was the most understanding. “But you still worried us, you didn’t even tell us you had moved. Did you tell Captain Flint?” Nancy looked sheepish.

“No, well yes, I told him we would probably have to leave the croft at some point, but not where and when.”

“But what about your mother?”

“No, she worries so much and now her health is not great Uncle Jim thought it better I didn’t.”

“Yes, I can understand that, it would be the same with mother. Does Uncle Jim see much of her?”

“I think they do quite often, he’s still disappointed.” Titty had always thought that though a strong friendship between Captain Flint and her mother was always there, marriage would never happen as he had hoped.

“She loved father so much nobody could replace him.”

“I know, nobody could Daisy for me.” Titty realised that for Nancy this was quite an admission. She also realised that Nancy was not ready to say more about her move from Scotland to the Backwaters and there was little point in trying to press her further.

Titty decided it was best to let the subject drop, when the time was right and there was more to tell Nancy she was sure would do so.

“What I can’t believe is that the two of you have ended up living here!”

“It was a surprise for us, especially for Daisy, she had no idea who the cottage belonged to or that they were relatives of hers!”

“Are you going to change anything?”

“No! We can’t afford to and we’d probably not be allowed. We’ll just make the garden a bit bigger I suspect, then we can grow more vegetables. Do you want more tea?” Titty was impressed at the offer, she couldn’t think of a time when she had seen Nancy do something in a kitchen she hadn’t been asked to.

“Please.” Nancy set too refilling the kettle and rinsing out the teapot.

“Titty,” Nancy paused, “can I ask you something?”

“Of course.” Though she agreed she did wondered for a moment what it might be.

“You and Dick, are you…” Her question drifted in to silence.

“Are we a couple?” Titty thought it was time to tell anyone who asked about it the truth, even though she had not really talked with Dick about what they were to say to anyone. Nancy would be a good person to start with given the trouble she had about telling them all of her relationship with Daisy. “I think we are, when we went to the Albion to get rooms for the night it just seemed right to share one and a bed, it did for Dick too, we didn’t discuss it we just did it. You know I’ve got ‘history’ and of course Dot had told him, but he’s not bothered, he’s not interested in what people do together as long as nobody gets hurt.”

As Nancy made a new pot of tea she nodded.

“He’s a good man, what Daisy said is true, in some ways he has always meant more to me than John, sorry to have to say that about your brother.”

“That’s alright, I know what you mean, I’m closer to Dot than I am Susan or Bridget in some ways. Since John married Peggy it seems much easier between the three of you.”

“Yes, during all those years up to the war you all thought I’d marry him.”

“I never did, it was so obvious to me, what wasn’t obvious was Dick, it’s taken me all this time to realise.” Nancy put a fresh mug of tea on the table in front of her. “Thanks, so yes we are a couple, but what that means and what we are going to do about it I don’t know. We’ve only just found each other, was it like that for you?”

“No! As you realised we both knew when we met, but who could we tell, we were quite young; turns out both of us had already realised we were attracted to women but had no idea what we could do about it. We wrote to each other every week, in the beginning they must have been such boring letters, you know I’m not that good at letters, so it was years before either of us actually started to drop hints and then wait and see what the other replied. But you and Dick, your best friend’s brother, a bit obvious in some ways!”

This was true, but it was good for Titty to hear Nancy admit that she knew Dot was special to her, all the years they had been friends it seemed wrong for any of them to have favourites.

 


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER IX

 

MORE REVEALATIONS

 

 **O** nce in the Land Rover, Dick and Daisy were heading back along the lane to the road in to the Town and as she drove she started to talk.

“Nancy has told me a lot about of you over the years, I really meant what I said earlier, you’re special to her.” Dick was not quite sure what to say in return, but he did know that this was not mere flattery.

“We’ve always got on well, she never seems to let things beat her or hold her back, I’m cautious I suppose, I always need someone like her to egg me on and she did, but always in a considerate way.”

“True, I can be like that too sometimes, I think that’s was one of the reasons we got on so well back then. John and the others were always worrying about what to do and what their parents would expect of them.” Dick agreed.

“Dot and I were lucky, ours left us alone in lots of ways, as long as they knew we were safe and there was an adult around somewhere to help that was it. Father was always off on digs somewhere and mother followed him around to handle the domestic matters.”

“Sounds like me and Nancy! Practical she may be, but not for housework and cooking!”

On reaching the Town Daisy parked the Land Rover in the car park near by the church, and they made their way to the grocers and the butchers in the high street. The actual shopping didn’t take long and they were soon walking back to the Land Rover. Once both inside and before Daisy drove off Dick spoke.

“Have you and Nancy had any trouble here? Like the kind you had in Scotland?”

“No, but then we have kept it very quiet.” Again she changed the subject. “Anyway, what of you, anyone special in your life?” Dick was surprised she wanted to talk of other things, and he was taken aback at her forwardness towards someone she had only just met.

“Nobody, well…” He paused, he was very tempted being given the chance to say something about himself and Titty, but Daisy was unlike the others, he knew them all too well.

“Yes?” Daisy wanted to encourage him without seeming too nosey.

“I’ve known Titty since childhood, but yesterday was the first time as adults we have spent time together, and it was like meeting for the first time but knowing all about each other. Do you know what I mean?”

“In a way, when I met Nancy all those years ago we both knew at once, but then though we both knew what we were we had never told anyone or expressed our feelings. You just didn’t back then. Didn’t you meet anyone in America?”

“Oh, one or two women I worked with, but nothing ever serious, we’d go out to dinner a few times and that would be it. Most of the time I couldn’t be bothered. I found them boring, we had nothing in common other than work, my stories of sailing, copper mining, catching vandals and so forth meant nothing to them.”

“It was like that for me even at school, only Don and the Swallows and Amazons had the same interests. During the war was difficult too, how did you get on?” Dick was not surprised at this question, he was getting used to this inquisitiveness about what he did during the war.

“Not you as well! It’s simple, I can’t say, I wish I could. I just want everyone to know I did ‘do my bit’!”

“I’m sure you did, it’s just you have all kept in touch and exchange news with each other ever since childhood.”

“I know, but some of us have to kept some things to ourselves, John and Susan do too but because they were in uniform you all don’t keep questioning them!”

“I’m sorry Dick, trouble for me is whenever any of us get together all the others talk about it.”

“I can imagine, in some ways it was good that you and Nancy had to keep things secret, but it must have made it difficult for you both, particularly Nancy?”

“It did, I was never used to that kind of talk even in my family, but Nancy did find it difficult sometimes. You know I had to confront her about it in the end?”

“Oh yes, the week end in Wales, we all heard about that.”

Daisy glanced at her watch.

“We should get back, I’ve got dinner to cook!” With this she started the Land Rover and began the drive back to the cottage.

 


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER X

 

PLANS

 

 **D** aisy, years before she lived with Nancy, never thought she would have to cook much in adult life, let alone that she would ever be a competent one. But when she and Nancy became close friends and eventually began living together as a couple she realised that it was one area of day to day living that Nancy could not be entrusted with or at all relied upon.

Like most girls of her generation she had been the taught the rudiments of cooking at school and resented she was not allowed to do woodwork or metalwork like the boys, so when she and Nancy began to live together she reluctantly cooked but was surprised to find she actually enjoyed it. What could have been a chore ended up a pleasure, with the planning and production of their meals becoming an important part of each day. When they had the croft they grew much of what they ate in the way of fruit and vegetables, and at least Nancy could be relied on to dig and weed their vegetable plot. Nancy was also not bothered by killing and gutting animals they occasionally were able to catch for the table, whereas this is where she drew the line, she was happy to make it her job to prepare and cook what ended up on the kitchen table, how it got there she left to Nancy.

Once she and Dick were back at the cottage she began the preparation of the meal, she had bought meat in the Town for them all and sent Nancy out to the cottage garden to gather the vegetables she required.

Dick was pleased to see Titty once more, even for such a short separation he had missed her, and when she smiled at him on his return to the kitchen he sensed that she felt the same. The two of them asked Daisy what they could do to assist her, and they were not really surprised when she declined their offer.

“What you could do is go across the lane and pick some blackberries, if you go back through the main gate and follow the footpath in to the field you’ll find a lot of bushes in the hedgerows.” She took a large bowl from one of the kitchen cupboards and passed it to Dick. “You may see some sloes too, if you do pick as many as you can get.” Dick looked confused, types of fruit and vegetables apart from the obvious ones were a mystery. Titty stepped in and rescued him.

“Don’t worry I know what to look for, you can tell he didn’t grow up in the country Daisy!”

The left the kitchen and went on through the back door of the cottage to the garden, they told Nancy where they were off to. Having picked quantities of blackberries, and Titty introduced Dick to sloes, they returned to find the table laid and Daisy busy, she was waiting for the blackberries to prepare for dessert.

That evening they ate well, Daisy was, somewhat to their surprise, an excellent cook and when the meal was over Titty and Dick told her stay sat at the table and they would deal with the washing up. The two of them found something comforting about carrying out the task together, though neither said as much, just as Nancy and Daisy said nothing.

Once the washing up was finished they all sat around the table and despite having much to talk of all of them avoided the subjects uppermost in their minds, Nancy and Daisy wondered about the how the relationship between Dick and Titty would progress and the two of them wondered about why Nancy and Daisy had ended up in the cottage in such secrecy.

Later in the evening Dick and Titty felt it was time for them to return to the Albion, knowing they had missed high tide and they had to ask Nancy to take them back to the Town in the Land Rover.

“Of course, what are you doing tomorrow?”

“We’ll have to come back and get the dinghy, we have to return it by high tide to the boatyard.”

“Yes, I’d forgotten that. Why don’t we meet you at the Albion in the morning, drive you to the Wade them meet you back in the Town. We could go and look at the Naze and the tower, the council have bought the Naze and made it public land now. This they all agreed to and thanked them both and said goodbye to Daisy.

 


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER XI

 

A TELEGRAM

 

 **N** ancy drove Titty and Dick back to the Albion, they said their goodbyes and she promised to collect them in the morning in time to take them to their dinghy moored at the Wade, so they could return it to the boatyard at the peak of high tide.

When the two of them walked in to the hotel and asked the woman behind the reception desk for their room key she silently passed it to Dick and as she did so looked rather oddly at Titty.

“Are you a Miss Walker?” Titty answered her wondering how she knew.

“Yes, is there something wrong?” The woman continued, but still was looking strangely at them both.

“So your Not Mrs Callum?” This seemed an intrusive question, Titty was slightly offended by this but decided to brush if off with some humour.

“Well, not yet!” She felt herself blush and Dick was put out at the woman’s questioning and assumptions.

“There’s a telegram for you, a Miss T Walker.” She handed Titty the dark red envelope. Walking away from the reception desk to get away from the woman and to give them some privacy, Titty ripped open the envelope at once and read the telegram out loud to Dick

 

+++SUSAN & ME DRIVING DOWN TOMORROW PHONE ME

             DOT+++

 

Titty turned to him.

“Susan? She must be on leave, I know she has a car. We’d better telephone Dot and explain what’s happened and tell them where to meet us, they can come to the Naze with Nancy and Daisy.” Dick went over to the reception desk, the woman still looked at him oddly. He ignored this and continued as if nothing had happened between them.

“Can I make a telephone call please?”

“Certainly sir, I’ll add it to your bill.” She then passed him the telephone.

Dick dialled Dot’s number and then passed the handset to Titty, she explained to Dot that they had found Nancy and they should meet them outside the Albion the next day around lunchtime, she knew that as they had to return the dinghy to the boatyard at high tide this would fit in well. Finishing the call she handed the telephone back to the woman behind the desk who in return looked at her in an odd way once more.

When they were alone in their room each of them told the other of the conversations they had with the others. Though they had found Nancy there still seemed no obvious reason as to why she and Daisy had moved to the cottage, it was only Daisy’s good fortune that they had somewhere to go.

Eventually Dick could avoid the question on his mind no longer.

“Titty, what about us?” Teasing him slightly she answered.

“What about us?”

“When we get back to London what are we going to do? And what are we going to tell everyone?” Titty looked content.

“We don’t have to do much at all. I want to carry on my life much as I have done for years only with you next to me, will you look for a job?”

“I don’t actually need to, I was paid so well in America and managed to save enough to live on now until I become a pensioner, if I’m careful.” He thought for a moment. “Titty, how do you manage, from what Dot tells me you’ve never worked, just the occasional thing for a week or two for people you know, is that true?” He regretted being so nosey but she didn’t mind his enquiries in to this part of her life.

“It is, you must have heard about my dowsing in Wales?”

“I did, I’d also heard about people with your talent in the war.”

“Well, I find things for people, and sometimes when it is something the really need to get back they will pay me quite a lot. So I mostly get by on what I earn this way.”

      Dick asked no more, and they both busied themselves with getting ready for bed.


	12. Chapter 12

CHAPTER XII

 

A TELEPHONE CALL

 

 **I** n the morning after breakfast when Dick went to the reception desk to pay the bill at the Albion, the same suspicious woman from the night before was as the desk to deal with him. Titty decided to stand to one side waiting for him.

The reception telephone rang and the woman excused herself and answered it.

“The Albion, how can I help you?” There was a pause. “Yes he is, I’ll hand you over.” She looked at Dick and held out the handset. “It’s for you Mr Callum. Gentleman didn’t give a name.” Dick took the ‘phone and wondered who would be calling him, and who knew he was there.

“Dick Callum speaking.” He was surprised by the voice that replied, it was that of the man he met in the shabby office in London.

“Ah Mr Callum, we understand you have found Miss Blackett.” Dick was taken aback for a moment, but not surprised, he made sure he did not give away his surprise in his reply.

“I have. I assume that’s the end of the matter. I’m sorry to have wasted your time.” He knew as he said it that this was of no relevance, there would be a reason why they were taking an interest in Nancy, and now himself as well unless of course they already were.

“Well Mr Callum, we would appreciate if you could provide us with more information.” Dick was ready for a request of this kind.

“I can assure you that Miss Blackett is well and was never ‘missing’, it was just a misunderstanding with her relatives and friends. Once again, I have thank you for the assistance you gave me.” Knowing full well they had given him none at all. He also knew that the next question from the anonymous caller would be a further attempt to give more details of Nancy’s whereabouts.

“You’re welcome, please do keep us informed if there are any changes to situation. Goodbye.” The line went dead, Dick passed the handset back to the woman at the desk.

“Thank you, can I settle my account now?”

“Of course sir.” This was said with a lack of conviction, she clearly did not approve of his and Titty’s behaviour, and passed him the bill for him to pay. Dick settled the account and he and Titty left the hotel.

Once outside Titty immediately questioned Dick.

“What was that all about?”

“It was the man I saw in London, he knew I had found Nancy!”

”How? How did they know where you were?”

“When you have worked where I have in the past you begin to expect such things. What I don’t understand is why they are interested in Nancy.”

“But what did you do?” Titty was hopeful that now she and Dick had been more open about the feelings he would feel able to tell her more.

“Titty, I can’t say, you know I can’t, when I can I will tell you all about it.” He could see she was still not happy about his reluctance. “What we need to do is talk to Nancy, I wonder if she knows people take an interest in where she is and what she does.”

They sat on one of the seafront benches across the road from the hotel and waited for Nancy to collect them and take them to the moored dinghy at the Wade.

“Dick.” Titty paused long enough for him to realise there was something on her mind.

“What is it? This business about Nancy is it bothering you?”

“No, well of course it is odd. No, it’s you and me. Why do you have to keep what you did in the war such a secret? I’ve had enough of secrets, can’t we be together and be free of them?”

“Of course we can, but in the war I had to sign the official secrets act and with the work I did that really meant something, I had to sign even before they would tell me what I was being asked to do. If I’d refused then that would have been the end of it. There were thousands of us in the same situation. I promise once I can I will tell you all about it.” Titty looked uncomfortable.

“I do trust you, it’s just all mysterious and the others are always asking about it, and now we are going to be together I just know they will ask even more!”

Suddenly someone shouted at them.

“Are you two ready! Come on!” They turned around to see Nancy in the Land Rover parked behind them, they climbed in and Nancy pulled away, she began to drive through the Town and back to the lane at the beginning of the Wade.

“I’ve had a telegram from Dot, she and Susan are driving down today, they’ll meet us back at the Albion around lunchtime.” Titty passed on her news to Nancy who was clearly delighted to hear it.

“Susan! Three million cheers! I’ve not seen her for yonks, she always been working and unable to get leave whenever we’ve got together.” Dick had a practical thought.

“Do you think we’ll get the dinghy back to the boatyard in time?”

“You should do, the tide is right and there is fair wind. Shall we still meet you and Dot and Susan and go on to the Naze as planned?” She didn’t wait for answer. “I’ll get Daisy to prepare a picnic, not exactly sailing but it will be like old times. Pity the others couldn’t be here.”

“Yes, good idea.” Titty replied and Nancy turned the Land Rover in to the lane that led to the Wade and parked by the pillbox.

They all got out and walked over to the landing stage, the dinghy was waiting for them, untouched. The tide had turned and was now high enough for the dinghy to be floating freely on its moorings. Titty climbed in and started raising the sail. Nancy looked envious.

“I wish I was coming, we haven’t got a boat yet, well only a rowing boat.”

“You’ll soon get one.” Titty told her and as she said it Dick untied the painter and climbed in, pushed the boat away from the landing stage and Titty took control as it slid out in to the main channel. Nancy called out to them.

“I’ll see you at the boatyard!”

As Dick and Titty sailed away from her she returned to the Land Rover and drove back to the cottage.

 


	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER XIII

 

NEW ARRIVALS

 

 **T** he wind held and Dick and Titty sailed back through the channels of the Backwaters to the boatyard. On their arrival the tide was almost at it’s highest for the day. Once the boat was moored they went in search of the man who had hired it to them.

They found him deep in conversation in the office shed with Nancy, from the snippets they could both hear as they approached, it was clear she was making an enquiry about the cost of a boat. As they got to the door she looked up and spoke to them.

“Hello! Trying to see if I can afford yacht or sailing dinghy of some sort.” Titty mentally noted that Nancy said ‘I’, an admission of Daisy being part of any purchase was not to be mentioned. The boatyard man spoke.

“I’m sure we can sort something for you. Come have a longer chat sometime.” He then looked toward Dick and Titty. “You made it alright, then if you’ve sailed to Holland in the night the Backwaters shouldn’t be any trouble!”

“It was fine, and I remembered some of the channels and how to get through them.” Dick then dealt with the business side of things.

“Do we owe you anymore?”

“No, not at all, just need to give you your deposit back,” He went over to a cash box on a desk behind them, and using a key from a large bunch on a key chain in his pocket opened it and gave Dick the amount he had left the day before. “Well you know where we are should you need a boat again, and you Miss Blackett you come along another day and we’ll see what we can do for you.”

All three of them bid their farewells and Dick and Titty thanked him again. When they were away from the yard Titty spoke to Nancy.

“Where’s Daisy?”

“Oh I told her we’d take Dot and Susan back to the cottage then we can all got to the Naze in the Land Rover and Susan can leave her car at ours.”

Once all in the Land Rover Nancy drove the short distance to the sea front opposite the Albion and parked.

“Do you know what car Susan has got?” Titty answered her.

“One of those small ones, an Imp?”

“Do you know what colour?”

“Blue I think.” Titty knew little about cars, and cared less. They were useful for going from A to B and as long as they did, that was all she needed to know.

“Well there’s no sign of one yet, we’ll just have to wait.”

Dick wondered whether to mention to Nancy yet that certain people in authority already knew where she was, he decided it better to wait until Dot and Susan had arrived and the general catching up between them had taken place.

“Do you think you’ll buy a boat?” He asked Nancy.

“Of course, thanks to Daisy’s legacy we have a bit of money spare, it’s a question of what they can do for the small amount we have.”

As they waited Nancy occasionally glanced in the rear-view mirror at the road behind her anticipating the arrival of a small blue car.

“You’d think Susan would have a better car than an Imp.” Titty immediately defended her sister.

“No, she’s not interested, for her driving is just a means to an end. As long as it goes she doesn’t care.” Dick supported her.

“Doesn’t interest me either, trains will do me fine. Those I worked with in America thought it odd. They all had a licence and a car when they were sixteen, some younger. Only thing was they needed the licence as ID when they bought alcohol, I just used my passport, I used my wartime ID card when I was first there but some stores didn’t recognise it or accept it.”

He was interrupted by a shout from Nancy.

“Here they are!” They all turned around to see a small blue car park behind the Land Rover. They all climbed out and as they did so Dot and Susan got out of her car. The five of them exchanged greetings.

“Hello! Hello! Good to see you. Haven’t see you in ages! When did we last meet!” Between them all Dick had not seen Susan for a number of years, when he last took a short holiday to return to London, and even then she was busy so they only had time for hastily eaten lunch together in a café near to her office. She hugged him for a moment.

“You look well Dick, Dot tells me you’re back here for good.”

“Yes, I suppose I’ve retired, I don’t need to work anyway, which gives me time to do other things, like tracking down missing people!”

“I was not missing, just out of contact!” Nancy was teasingly indignant. Susan responded in the same vein.

“You certainly gave everyone a turn, my brother and your sister in particular, they have been worrying about your whereabouts!”

“I know, look, can we forget about it for awhile, I have a plan. We’re going up to the Naze, Daisy is making a picnic, so if you follow me you can leave your car at the cottage and we can all squeeze in the Land Rover.”

This was agreed by them all, except Dick who then surprised them by suggesting Dot went with Nancy and he would go with Susan in her car to the cottage.

“It will give us a chance to talk, I haven’t seen her in years.” Titty was taken aback to begin with but knew that when Dick planned or suggested something there was always a good reason behind it. Nancy, Dot and Titty climbed in to the Land Rover and drove off, Nancy knew Dick would be able to show Susan the way to the cottage.

 


	14. Chapter 14

CHAPTER XIV

 

FURTHER REVEALATIONS

 

 **O** nce the two of them were in the Imp Dick began, Susan had already thought to herself that he was not interested in social chitchat, there was something on his mind she could help him with.

“Did you know Nancy was here?”

“No, why?”

“Well, I used some old wartime contacts to see what I could find out when Titty and the others were worried about her. It was of no use, as I suspected, but this morning the man I was put in touch with telephoned me at the hotel and told me he had heard I had found her.”

“I see.” Susan was non-committal.

“Well, only Nancy, Daisy, Dot and you knew we were here at the hotel. What do you think is going on?”

Dick knew little of what Susan did in the navy, mainly that she was shore based, unlike John, but she was the only connection there may have been to his enquiries. Susan was ready to drive back to the cottage, but they became deeper in conversation. During their childhood the two of them spent little time together but now they had a common matter to deal with. In the early days after the Swallows meeting with Ds Susan was entrusted with looking after Dick and Dot and the other younger participants of their escapades, now they were able to converse with ease so he felt comfortable in asking her all these questions. As Susan didn’t answer his question Dick noticed for a few minutes she looked thoughtful.

“Do you know Dick, your name came up in a meeting I was involved in during the war.” Dick glanced directly at her as they sat in the front seats of the car.

“Really, over what matter?” As he spoke he wondered who she could have encountered who would have known of him, and if they did what they knew of what he participated in.

“Well, once I became an officer around forty-three I was appointed to a committee connected to naval intelligence. We were all being briefed on classified information coming out of Station X, we actually weren’t told much but for some reason we were given some classified papers that included lists of names of some of those involved. You were on one of the lists.” She knew that Dick never said much about his wartime activities, even if he did anything, and until she saw his name on the list at that meeting then she knew. But she then knew there was nothing she could say to the others, not even John, he may have reached a higher rank than herself but on such matters he was not someone ‘in the know’.

“Was I now.” Dick felt himself being defensive, and though he had said nothing to anyone in the years since, he realised that all the time Susan knew.

“It was you on that list wasn’t it?” Dick hesitated.

“Yes.” He felt a sense of relief, at last he could say something. Somebody knew he had not avoided ‘doing his bit’ during the war.

“I thought so at the time, and in the meeting I said so.” Dick was shocked.

“What!” Susan was not disturbed by this, she carried on the conversation.

“I had to, we were all asked if any of the names meant anything to us, and I assumed there could not be any other Dick Callum. I was then asked to stay after the meeting and I was questioned further. They wanted to know what I knew about you, when I mentioned your parents and what they did, particularly your father, it became obvious to them that I did really know you.”

“What did they say?” Dick was curious.

“Not much, I assumed everyone had a file somewhere, and the fact that we were acquainted was noted for some future reference. So what were you actually doing, surely you can give me some idea now?”

Dick said nothing, but she could see he was deep in thought and so let him take his time.

“It was while I was at university, I got interested in symbolic logic and related things, it’s part of science where you reduce ideas to letters and symbols, a bit like algebra, it has connections to other things. Things like language structure and formal arguments. It was easy to me, I’d just have to glance at a problem and I could see the outcome, how I don’t know but my tutor seemed to be impressed. Then in forty-one I was approached by another of my tutors, an unremarkable conversation, he started asking whether I was going to volunteer or wait until I was called up, I didn’t know. Until he’d asked I think I avoided the question and was just going to wait and see what happened.” Susan did not say anything, she just nodded at the right moments to show she was following what he was saying. “A few weeks later I went for another tutorial and in the room with my tutor there was a man I was introduced to, an army officer, and after a lengthy conversation with the officer he asked me to come to London for a meeting. I went, I had to do some tests and then was asked what I knew of codes and so on, I remembered Morse and semaphore of course and then explained the signal code we used in the winter holiday, when Nancy had mumps, this seemed interesting to them because of the way that we used just two shapes to communicate so much. At the time I couldn’t really see why!”

Susan was intrigued, she had some idea of what Dick may have done, but she had never heard him be so open. It was clear he was pleased to be able to talk to someone.

“So you were recruited, I guessed you had been when I saw your name on the list.” She wanted to ask so many questions, she had been told some of what went on, sometimes things she probably shouldn’t have been told; but she knew Dick would only say what he wanted to say.

“I was in the same hut as Turing for some of the time, I got to know him a bit.”

“I heard his name mentioned at some meetings, then after the war when he died he wasn’t mentioned again.” Dick carried on as if Susan had not spoken.

“Then I helped Tommy Flowers with the computers he built, nothing major but I helped out on some of the logic side.” This meant little to Susan other than the name, but she now knew a lot more than before of what Dick had done during the war.

Dick looked worried.

“You won’t say anything to the others will you?”

“No of course not, I’m pleased you could tell me.”

“When are you retiring?” It was now Susan’s turn to show some reluctance.

“I don’t know, they keep hinting to me that I should be thinking about it. What would I do?” Dick laughed.

“Whatever you want, you’ll get a good pension wont you?” Susan started the engine and pulled away.

“Which way? They’ll think we’ve got lost!”

 


	15. Chapter 15

CHAPTER XV

 

A PICNIC

 

 **S** usan parked the Imp on the opposite side of the lane from the cottage where some shingle had been spread for the purpose, in front of them Nancy was loading a large wicker basket in to the Land Rover. As they got out she challenged them.

“Where have you two been?!” Dick dealt with this as he walked across the lane.

“We had things to catch up on, I haven’t talked to Susan in years!”

As all three of them walked around the back of the cottage Daisy and the others were just coming out. Susan greeted Daisy.

“Hello Daisy how are you? Still putting up with Nancy?”

“I’m well Susan, and yes still putting up with her!” She laughed clearly showing that she did not feel that way at all. “And you, I suppose you are still married to your job?”

“I am indeed, someone has to do these things and it took a lot for me to get there!” Titty groaned.

“Oh Susan, we all know that, you don’t have to defend yourself, we all know and that you deserve it!”

“Shut up all of you, get in the Land Rover and we’ll be on our way.” Nancy realised it was time for someone to take charge, and she was still Captain Nancy of the _Amazon_ so it would be her.

Driving back to the Town they went through the high street on the other side of the Albion, then they were once again on the seafront. They passed a stretch of seawall where the land on the other side of the road was below sea level, it was only the wall that protected the area from flooding, and in the distance they could see the glint of water on the backwaters as the tide fell. Once they had driven on they passed a large thatched cottage that looked out of place amongst the other houses, they continued, the road climbing slightly passed some large grand looking houses until eventually the road petered out in to no more than a gravel track.

At the end of the track there was a farm gate with warning notices about private property, just before it Nancy turned a sharp right on to another track in even worse repair that ended at the public part of the Naze; a promontory of grass and scrubland. In the middle of it a brick built tower with the appearance of an old lighthouse, but unpainted. Nancy parked the Land Rover on an area at the end of the track which had been roughly cleared of scrub for that purpose.

They all clambered out of the vehicle and walked towards the tower. Nancy wanted to impart as much information as she had been able to find out in the short time she and Daisy had lived there.

“There was a golf course here up until the war, right to the tip.” She pointed to the sea ahead of them, and it was clear that the cliff edge was crumbling in places. Suddenly Dick spoke up.

“It was all requisitioned in the war, the golf club closed and radar experiments were carried out using the tower, and other things too.”

“Really!” Titty exclaimed and the others seemed surprised at what he knew. Susan nodded and thought to herself that Dick’s wartime experiences were greater than any of them had guessed or suspected. Dot said nothing but though much about her brother, his hidden depths that on occasions such as these when he surprised everyone but never her.

Walking around the land spit they saw on the eastern side the cliffs were crumbling and avoided the very edges, their path was occasionally crossed by the large number of wild rabbits that inhabited the land. Looking back towards the tower Susan spoke what she guessed would be on all their minds.

“Can you go up the tower?” Nancy may not of knew of its wartime role but she knew of its accessibility.

“No, it’s always locked when we come up here and George tells me it’s in private hands.” Susan spoke up.

“Whose George?”

“Jim Brading’s nephew, he runs the farm now where we got the milk from on Secret Water.” Dick then took over.

“We met him and he misled us about Nancy, told us he’d no idea about any women living around here!”

“He was protecting us Dick, we needed it!” Daisy then curtailed the conversation.

“Come on, it’s lunchtime!”

They walked back to the Land Rover and once they had let down the back so that some of them could sit down Daisy unpacked the basket and distributed sandwiches and apples, they munched away and thought their own thoughts.

“Daisy you are such a good cook!” Titty knew she risked a disapproving look from Susan, or imagined she would.

“Sandwiches are hardly cooking!” Daisy was quick to respond. “But thank you!” She handed out bottles of ginger beer and they all drank their fill. Once they repacked the basket they walked away from the Naze down the slope to the sea. Dick was still thoughtful.

“We must think about getting back to London, Susan can you take us to the station?” Susan responded at once.

“You can come back to London with me and Dot, you needn’t take the train.” Nancy glanced at Daisy.

“Look you must come and eat with us this evening, you can stay, I’m sure we can squeeze you in, not much different from tents!” Daisy nodded her agreement and as they walked back to the Land Rover she talked with Nancy about what they would eat and how they would accommodate everyone.

Titty noticed that Susan said nothing and took no interest in these domestic arrangements, it was clear to her that her sister had changed.

 


	16. Chapter 16

CHAPTER XVI

 

A STRANGER

 

 **W** hen they returned to the cottage Daisy organised things and they were soon sat around the wooden kitchen table drinking mugs of tea and making short measure of slabs of fruitcake.

“Daisy, this is really good cake!” Susan was clearly impressed. Nancy explained before Daisy could acknowledge the compliment.

“It should be, it’s Cook’s recipe, she actually let Daisy write it out when we went to Beckfoot years ago, I’d never known Cook tell anyone before!”

“She must have been impressed by you Daisy, she never told me anything!” Susan seemed slightly put out by this revelation. Dot joined in.

“Nor me!” Agreeing with Susan. Titty, as Titty would, became nostalgic.

“This is like old times, except no adventure.”

“But a mystery.” Dick once again spoke his thoughts out loud. Daisy interrupted him not wanting to return to that particular subject.

“Who wants more tea?”

As she stood up she saw the shadow of someone passing the kitchen window, then there was a knock on the open kitchen door.

Nancy got up before Daisy could say anything and a man in a dark unkempt suit stood there, he looked an official of some sort.

“Miss Blackett? Miss Ruth Blackett?”

“Yes, if you must, but I prefer Nancy.”

“Of course, as you wish, may I come in?”

The others could tell from the conversation they overheard that the man had not identified himself, yet Nancy seemed more than willing to let him in.

As the man entered the kitchen it was obvious to all of them he was clearly taken aback as he glanced around the table and saw Susan. He stepped back. Dick recognized him at once.

“Superintendent Walker, my apologies Ma’am, I didn’t know you were here.” Susan’s demeanour changed visibly to all of them. She sat up straight in her chair and looked directly towards the stranger, almost as if there was nobody else in the room.

“Clearly not.” She did not ask the man to identify himself. “I believe you’ve met Mr Callum.” She nodded towards Dick.

“Yes Ma’am.”

“And these people as you no doubt know are Mr Callum’s sister, my sister, Miss Blackett and her friend.” Titty had to restrain herself from laughing at the formality of Susan’s language and her the tone of her conversation with the strange man. She had never seen Susan, and rarely John, behaving as an officer.

“Yes Ma’am.”

“I assume what you are here for can only be spoken of to myself, Miss Blackett and Mr Callum?”

“Yes Ma’am.” He looked uncomfortable and it was clear that his arrival had lost its impact and he was reduced to a mere subordinate by the presence of a very senior officer. Susan turned to the others, but maintained her formal voice.

“I’m sorry, can you three go in the garden, we’ll explain as much as we can when we’ve finished. Oh, and can you shut the door when you do.” Daisy, Titty and Dot glanced at each other, stood up and made their way outside realising that such a request from Susan was serious and important, and this was no time to question her as much as they would have liked to have done.

Once the three of them had left the kitchen and shut the door Susan gestured to one of the now empty chairs.

“Sit down.”

“Thank you Ma’am.” He sat but clearly did not relax in front of this officer. Dick was surprised. He had only just learnt Susan was aware of his wartime activities, but what had all that have to do with him and Nancy?

“So you’ve found Miss Blackett, what next?”

“Well Ma’am we were concerned at her leaving Scotland suddenly and there being no trace of her, some thought the worst, but we knew little of Miss…” He stalled not knowing how to refer to her.

“Daisy?” Nancy gave nothing else away of Daisy’s identity. “No, she knows nothing and has no part in it. Nor does Dick. He like you was tracking me down, I had no idea you knew of him either. The war I suppose,” she turned away from him and looked at Dick, “at least I now know why you’ve never said anything Dick!”

“Not very exciting I’m afraid Nancy, I just used some old contacts to try and find you and they took an interest, and it seems they did in me as well.” Susan interrupted.

“So you’ve found Miss Blackett, you know where she lives. You do realise we are all childhood friends. Other than my brother John, Commander Walker, none of them knows anything of this. As to my brother Roger, as I’m sure you also know he was invalided out of the service and the poor soul sometimes doesn’t even know what day it is, and so knows nothing of this either.”

“Yes Ma’am, we are aware and have most of what you say on record, I’m afraid it was Mr Callum that set alarm bells ringing with his background, and of course,” he hesitated, “Daisy, is it?” Susan interrupted him once more.

“I think we can safely say you better keep her out of this, note her presence on Miss Blackett’s file and that should be enough. Similarly, despite Mr Callum’s background he knows nothing, he has stumbled upon it as a willing helper to his sister and my sister.” There was an uncomfortable silence between Susan and the stranger.

“Of course Ma’am. If there is nothing else Ma’am I will leave you in peace and report back.”

“As will I, I can assure you.” Revealed Susan. The man rose from his seat, opened the kitchen door and left.

Moments later the other three returned to the kitchen, they found Susan, Nancy and Dick just looking at each other in silence. Titty spoke.

“Susan what is going on?”

 


	17. Chapter 17

CHAPTER XVII

 

FINAL EXPLANATIONS

 

 **D** aisy looked worried.

“Are you alright Nancy?” She sat beside Nancy and took her hand in her own, a gesture between them the others were now used to seeing in moments of affection or upset.

“Fine, fine, don’t worry.”

“Who was he? He looked sinister.” Asked Dot, who had already thought of how to use him as an evil character in one of her future novels.

“Just an ordinary officer in the intelligence service.” Susan sound almost bored and dismissive.

“A spy?” Dot’s imagination had begun to run away with her again.

“No, not a spy Dot, but someone who sometimes has to keep an eye on people for their own good.” Susan again was dismissive, but Titty was exasperated.

“Will one of you please explain what on earth is going on!”

To her, and all of them except Susan’s, surprise it was Nancy who began to speak.

“It started back in the late fifties, I went to a CND meeting in London, mainly out of curiosity, Daisy was away for a few days and I was at a loose end. I’d read in the newspapers about what they stood for and thought it would be good to know more. But when I was there I saw someone I thought I recognised, someone from my service days, I didn’t give it much thought or speak to her, then a couple of days later I had an official letter using my name and rank and was asked to attend an office to meet someone with regard to my war service. I went, and it turned out whomever I saw had mentioned me to someone else and so on. Once they chatted to me it was suggested, that if I went to any more meetings could I report back anything that they may find useful. I guess Susan you know how these things work?” Susan looked slightly uncomfortable.

“Yes, I do.” She said no more so Nancy continued.

“Do you remember Daisy, we went on the Aldermaston Marches, only a couple, but it was the one when I left you for awhile and went off with a small group.”

“I certainly do, and most annoyed I was too!”

“I know, I know, I’m sorry, well I knew the Aldermaston base as I’d been stationed there in 1942 before it was handed over to the Americans. I knew all the entrances and so on. I told a group of marchers I could get them inside the base, well, I thought I could, but…” She paused.

Titty again became agitated, before she could speak Susan took over.

“She was an infiltrator. She was there to see what she could find out about a possible connection between the anti-nuclear weapons movement and the Soviet Union. She needed to get that group on their own.”

Daisy looked scornful, even upset.

“I thought you were fed up with me, making me walk those miles and then going off with them!” Nancy looked guilty.

“I know, I couldn’t tell you, but when they approached me it was a chance to do something that really mattered, all I did in the war was drive things around I never saw any proper action. Now I could do something. I’m sorry.” Daisy looked at her, it was clear to all of them that she still loved her.

“It’s alright, you came back to me. It was just annoying at the time. I was so lonely and bored!” Dot looked confused.

“But why did you leave Scotland?” Nancy continued.

“Someone found out what my connection was with that time, how I don’t know and I didn’t know what they might do, nothing was said, they just let me know they knew, so we had to move on, Daisy inheriting the cottage was just one of those coincidences but it made things so much easier.”

Dot had not finished.

“But Dick, how did you become involved?” He looked at his sister.

“You asked me to find Nancy, only I didn’t know about Nancy’s past, as none of you do mine. Susan had an idea about me but she has only found out for sure today. But before you ask I still can’t say anything, and please don’t ask Nancy or Susan anymore. You can see by our visitor the kind of thing that can happen…” Susan interrupted him.

“Dick’s right, I’m retiring soon and as I understand things he and I will be able to say more in a few years time, the law regarding official secrets will be changed.” She hoped this would explain things.

“Even to us?” Titty once again felt this was unfair.

“Yes Titty.”


	18. Chapter 18

CHAPTER XVIII

 

AN ANNOUNCEMENT

 

 **F** or some minutes they all sat around the table and said nothing, all thinking their own thoughts, all full of questions about what had taken place, knowing none of them would get an answer, at least not the answers they wanted.

Dick was the one who spoke up.

“Something has come out of this.” Titty realised at once what he was about to say, and in some ways wished he wouldn’t. The others looked slightly confused. Dick continued. “These few days have brought me and Titty closer together, and I suppose, no, I know, close enough to be a ‘couple’.”

“Dick!” Dot exclaimed loudly and excitedly. “Oh Dick, that is so…” the novelist was lost for words. Titty felt herself blush, despite her demonstrativeness and her holding of the group together with her letter writing and telephone calls, she was not very good at talking about her emotional feelings.

Susan, now back to the usual Susan and not the naval officer putting a lower rank in their place, held her hand out to Titty across the table who willingly took it.

“I’m pleased, really pleased, I’ve worried about you often, especially during the war, but you with Dick I do not need to worry anymore.”

Nancy and Daisy almost simultaneously said how wonderful it was.

“Three million cheers!” Exclaimed Nancy. “We must celebrate.”

Dot was silent again, she said nothing more but smiled a weak smile at her brother and her best friend. She now thought the worst, was she about to lose the two most important people in her life and through almost pushing them together on their trip to the Backwaters? There had been no meeting with her publisher, her next novel was no more than some scribbled down ideas in a notebook and thoughts running around in her head, it just seemed a chance for the two of them to make up for Dick’s time in America when his visits home were always too short. The others seemed so pleased yet after her initial pleasure at the news she was almost jealous of them both. She knew they were waiting for her to add further to the congratulations. But nothing came to mind, and each time her mouth went to move no words were forthcoming.

Dick could see she was struggling to say more, and he could surmise what was going through her mind.

“It’s OK Dot, we’re not going to abandon you!” Dot attempted to laugh off her brother’s comment but that is what it had felt like. Titty spoke up.

“Of course we wont! Don’t be so silly, I couldn’t manage without you, and Dick, nobody understands him like you do.” Dot blushed. Reassured, her voice returned.

“Thank you, I didn’t really think you would, and I am happy for you, just why have you taken so long!”

Daisy became organised.

“As Nancy says, we must celebrate. We’ve time to go in to the Town. Who will come with me? To the others surprise Susan volunteered.

“I will, I’ve had enough driving for today.” Daisy continued.

“Good, Nancy get everyone organised. Do we still have potatoes in the garden? Enough salad stuff?”

“Of course, we have hardly used much so there’s plenty. Come on Dick, you can help me with digging the potatoes.”

Daisy got ready to leave, she kissed Nancy goodbye, then she and Susan left through the back door to the Land Rover. Nancy followed them out of the door.

“Come on Dick, there’s a basket under the sink.” Once Dick had found the basket he joined her outside leaving Dot and Titty sitting at the table.

Dot stood up and started to gather together the empty tea mugs, Titty stood too.

“That can wait, come here.” She walked over to Dot and embraced her. “Nothing will change, I promise you, and I know Dick wouldn’t want it to. You know what you mean to me, it’s that in some ways all these years that has kept my feelings for him under control!”

Dot released herself from Titty’s arms unwillingly.

“I know, I could always see it, but you’ve been such a good, good friend.”

“And I will be!” Titty then gathered up the mugs once more. “Come on, we better get these washed and tidy up a bit so Daisy can start cooking. She does take it seriously doesn’t she?”


	19. Chapter 19

CHAPTER XIX

 

THE FUTURE?

 

 **I** n the Land Rover Daisy and Susan chatted as they made there way back in to the Town. Susan wanted to avoid discussion of the events that had just unfolded, and she was curious about Daisy’s domesticity, a role in their childhoods she had always taken on.

“Did the Blackett’s Cook really give you the cake recipe?”

“Of course, but why I don’t know, I didn’t ask for it.”

“She was always kind and gave us leftovers from the kitchen, but she was always very secretive about her recipes.” Susan laughed. “Not that I’m bothered anymore, the rank I am now there is always someone else to deal with it all!” Daisy parked in the High Street.

“I’ve only a couple of shops to go to. Do you want to wait here?” Susan agreed she would and watched as first Daisy went in to the fishmongers and came out soon after with a large package, she then went in to the grocers nearby, leaving with a small bag. She got back in the Land Rover and passed Susan the shopping to hold during the journey back.

“That’s annoying, it’s always hard to get olive oil, I think we’ve got enough.” Susan was surprised.

“What do you want that for?”

“Salad dressing of course, to go with the salmon and on the new potatoes, French style.”

“French!” Susan exclaimed. “Where did you learn French cooking?”

“Oh in Scotland, some of our neighbours the wife was French and taught me as it was pretty clear when they had a meal with us once my range of dishes was pretty limited!”

“And Nancy likes it?”

“Of course, as long as she doesn’t have to do it!” Susan smiled to herself and thought about how they all changed over the years.

As they drove back Daisy was quite forthright with Susan.

“So it’s only you and Dot to settle down now?”

“Settle down!”

“You know, find someone special in your lives.”

“I don’t think Dot ever will, she always watched out for Dick, that does worry me a bit about him and Titty.”

“And you?”

“Me, well as the others say I’m married to my career!”

“But that will be over one day, then what?”

“Daisy, I don’t know. I’ve never met anyone that could mean that much to me, I suppose I’ll take over from mother and look after Roger.”

“Poor Roger, is there nothing they can do for him?”

“I don’t know, it seems he was psychologically tortured, how you deal with that…” He voice trailed away. Daisy tried to be positive.

“May be in the future, a new treatment will help him.”

“Lets hope so.”

They arrived back at the cottage, in the kitchen a basket of new potatoes and salad stuff awaited Daisy, and she could see someone had tidied and cleaned up as best they could. She put the salmon on the table and started to unwrap it.

“It’s supposed to filleted but they’ll be some bones left.” She took a pair of culinary tweezers from a jar on one of the shelves. The others stood around as if they would be given instructions.

“Nancy, why don’t you all go down to the Quay, then by the time you’re back I’ll be a bit more organised.”

Agreeing, Nancy, Susan, Dot, Dick and Titty left the cottage turned right and walked further along the lane passed the barn and on to the quay, a wooden footbridge crossed the end of the quay and the footpath it was part of would go on if followed around to the landing stage at the Wade and beyond. On the right hand side of what was once the quay was Quay House, and on the wooden sides of the quay mooring rings and chains waited for barges that would never be there again.

The tide was out as they all stood on the footbridge looking across the backwaters, now reduced to no more than mudflats. Dick was intrigued.

“So you sailed up to here?”

“At high tide you can, there used to be barges that came up a long time ago, but the navigation can be tricky.” Titty remembered from when they were surveying for their map of Secret Water. Nancy agreed.

“Yes, and messy if you fell in!”

On their return to the cottage, when they walked in to the kitchen they could see Daisy had things under control, she was busy making a salad and the potatoes were bubbling away in a saucepan on the range and the aroma from the salmon in the oven was in the air.

“Nancy, haven’t we a bottle of white wine in the cellar?”

”You have a cellar? How?” Titty couldn’t work out where.

“Only a small one for coal really, but it’s enough to keep things cold.”

“We do, I’ll go and get it.” Nancy went back outside. Having finished the salad Daisy gave some orders.

“Dot could you lay the table? You three,” she gestured to the others, “sit down and keep out of the way!” Daisy grinned as she said it clearly only concerned about the lack of space for six of them.

As Dot found crockery, cutlery and glasses for them all Nancy returned with a bottle of wine and another of ginger beer.

“Who wants what?”

She passed the bottle of wine to Dick.

“There’s a corkscrew in that drawer, can you open the bottle?” He found it and made short work of opening it and passing it back to Nancy. She poured wine for them all and ginger beer for herself. Passing the glasses around she then spoke.

“I think we should have a toast, but first we are both sorry to have caused so much trouble for you all. Now, to Titty and Dick, well done to both of you and whatever you plan for the future we hope it goes well.”

They all raised their glasses and drank to the couple.

Daisy was waiting by the oven of the range.

“Come on now all sit down and I can serve the salmon.” She once again gave them orders and Titty pondered how different she and Nancy were in character when they were together from how the two of them were in the past.

They ate well, as had been observed Daisy was a very good cook. With the meal finished the table cleared the talk between them returned to adventures.

Nancy, to nobody’s surprise, started.

“Look, when are we all going to get together and do something?”

“Well,” Susan retorted, “I’ve no more leave until Christmas, and I don’t think John has either.”

”We,” Dick started.

“Do you mean you and Titty or you and Dot?” Susan was teasing him.

“I don’t know, all of us. We don’t have to worry.” Nancy took the chance.

“Why don’t we meet up at Beckfoot? Mother and Uncle Jim wont mind, and your mother, Susan and Titty, will be there already.” Titty wondered out loud.

“But what will we do, Dick and Dot already discovered the North Pole.”

“Ah yes, but what about the South Pole?” Nancy clearly had plans.


End file.
